Xchange was a factual entertainment BBC television programme for children. It was broadcast initially on BBC Two and later the CBBC Channel. The programme was transmitted live from studio TC2 at BBC Television Centre. Towards the end of the show, it was recorded the day before broadcasting.

The first era of the programme came in 1998 when it was designed as a programme shown on BBC Two in the summer holidays. This format was repeated annually until the launch of the CBBC Channel in 2002. As a result, 1,040 episodes over two years were initially ordered. At that time, it was the BBC's biggest ever single in-house commission. On the CBBC Channel, it was a continuous, daily, hour-long format broadcast from 7:30am. Although, by the time the programme ended in March 2006, it was being broadcast twice daily in thirty minute durations.

The show featured a website where users can sign-up to collect points, and also could gain points for being a caller on the show. People who obtained 1000 points could enter a draw to appear on the show and be a "Gold X-IDer" in the studio. In a later series, the 1000 points could also be traded in to have a presenter host a part of the show from an X-IDer's house for a week.